For Her
by ms. kiT
Summary: When the evil man Kaia appears and attempts to destroy the 10 year old prince Xiao Lang, he flees to Japan, in order to take his revenge and save the common people when he, the chosen one, is ready. Along the way, he meets the beautiful daughter of a Duke
1. for your country

For Her   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. There.  
  
wahhh. So anyway. Finals and SATS II coming up. sigh... studying my ass off, but I couldn't resist writing this one. =] It has a bit of Ella Enchanted in it. The obedience part. I don't know where this is going. As usual. Hahaha. I start these stories without thinking far into them. Ah well. I have a good feeling about this one. =]  
  
so, ill stop talking about my life again.  
  
Here you go!  
  
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"Xiao Lang, you are our leader. You must leave." Inako was crying.  
  
Xiao Lang, with tearful eyes, cried. "I don't want to leave! I love you all!"  
  
"Xiao Lang, listen to me." Inako said with warm eyes. "One day, you will come and find us, you will save us, the commoners, but today is not the day. They are coming, the soldiers of Kaia. You must leave! They will kill you. You are the true prince of China. Your father died protecting you. Your mother we hid, and we hid her well. You do not need to worry. "  
  
Xiao Lang looked at Akiko with scared eyes.  
  
"Where... do I go?" I said, with trembling lips. "We have a network set up for you." She said quickly, for the rush of footsteps could be heard approaching. "First, go to the old brick house at the end of town."  
  
"But that place is haunted!" I said with horror, remembering the rumors spread that ghosts lived in the haunted house.  
  
"No, we spread that rumor so that people wouldn't go near it. Now, a woman will be waiting for you there, she will hide you in her house until the guards are finished looking through the city for you. Then she will direct you to get out of the country. You will hide, until you come of age and you can come back to take back the throne from Kaia." Inako said the name with a spat.  
  
"But... but nanny... I'm only 10! That will be a long time until I come back!" I said, realizing finally what he would have to do."  
  
Inako looked at me sadly.  
  
"Yes...my prince." She bowed low. "You are the true prince, and the true chosen one. You will train, and be trained by the famous Wei. He is currently in Japan, awaiting your arrival. You will live in Japan."  
  
Neighs could be heard right outside the door now.  
  
Inako looked and quickly said, "Now, flee! For yourself...and your country!" with that, she grabbed my arm, and flung me out the back door and the soldiers banged on the door in front, demanding to be let in to search for the lost prince.  
  
Picking myself up, and along with my heavy heart, I ran in the shadows towards the edge of town to the haunted brick house so many little children feared. I could hear behind my in Inako's house, banging and crashing and the shrieks of Akiko herself demanding the soldiers to stop destroying her house.  
  
I reached the little brick house. I grabbed the handle of the door with trembling hands and pulled it open. It creaked and groaned the long years it hadn't been opened by a soul. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw a woman on the other end of the room looking at me suspiciously.  
  
"Identify yourself." She said clearly.  
  
I flashed the chain around my neck.  
  
I sign of the royal family.  
  
The woman immediately came forward and took my hand.  
  
"Your highness, we haven't a moment to lose." She said whispering as she literally dragged me for the fear of ghosts coming at me was far too great. "We need to get you to the dock. That miles away, and we walk."  
  
I must have made a face and she had seen it by the feeble candlelight, for she smiled and said, "Yes, your highness walk. For the guards are wary on the roads, and it wont do to bump into them by carriage. If we are lucky perhaps we will find a horse along the way." She said doubtfully.  
  
We left from the back white washed fences and stole into the night.  
  
Suddenly I heard a loud neigh.  
  
I gasped, and I'm sure the woman must have also.  
  
I was so scared I could have pissed in my pants, until I recognized my horse.  
  
"Pride!" I said joyfully. The horse hand been given to me by my father. He was a beauty of a stallion. Large for a thoroughbred and built to run. Fast.  
  
A boy climbed off it.  
  
"Sano!" I said with surprise.  
  
Huffing, he took Pride's reins and handed them to me.  
  
"Mother told me to. She knew you guys had to walk. Take him, but let him loose when you get to dock. He knows the way home. Ill take care of him, don't worry." He said in one breath.  
  
"Tell Inako thank you." The woman said.  
  
Swinging herself on the horse, she held her hand out for me to take.  
  
Before I did so, I turned around to look once more at my friend.  
  
Sano's eyes held sadness, yet he attempted to hide it.  
  
"Promise me." He insisted, as I was hoisted on my horse, "Promise me, you'll come back to finish that fight of ours." His eyes flickered for a moment," and also Akiko. Promise me."  
  
"I promise." I echoed, and the woman kicked the horse and we rode into the woods, as Sano's figure became a size no larger than my fist, than a stick, then a dot, then nothing.  
  
We rode, as hard as my horse could go. The sun had already started running and we had rode long and hard through the night. When we had reached the dock, a ferry boat had already been ready. A man motioned us quickly.  
  
"Someone has already tipped off Kaia's men! Hurry! No time to lose!"  
  
The man grabbed my hand and pulled me on the boat, and starting calling the crew to start it.  
  
From the rail, I looked at the woman still on my horse. She dismounted, and hit the horse's flank. He rode back. I saw guards begin filling the port. I saw many pointing in our direction and shouts of anger floated to us, though I could not make out the words. They started at the woman and I panicked. But suddenly she whisked away into the woods and disappeared. I blinked. Or did she disappear into thin air?  
  
##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####  
  
I groaned. I could hear the chirps of tiny birds. Damn birds!  
  
It was 9 years, 9 years after I have been smuggled, and seen, but smuggled out nonetheless. It took a month to get to Japan, for we avoided common trade routes to avoid being seen. Finally, after arriving in Japan, a fake identity was made and I have been hiding from the Chinese government.  
  
True to Inako's, my nanny's word, I trained for those 9 years.  
  
At first, I detested the training, sure that I had been sent to the devil himself. Not only was Wei a mean, and hard teacher, he did not give Xiao Lang one sentence of compliment, until the day Xiao Lang had flipped the old trainer right onto his back. After that, he seemed to acknowledge he had found a worthy advocated, but he still tried to "do him in" as he called it, whenever he could. Sneaking up on Xiao Lang every time he could, had make him keen to his surrounding and he never got into a situation without observing it before hand.  
  
I sighed.  
  
Getting out of bed, I brushed my teeth and walked into the kitchen, for once not totally aware the old man could attack me any moment. And that's what he did.  
  
I felt a movement behind me. I felt myself getting flipped and I landed hard on the cold tiles.  
  
I was finally awake.  
  
I lunged for Wei.  
  
"Stupid bald old timer!"  
  
"What have I told you?! Never leave your back unwatched! What if I was the enemy? Then you certainly wont be making much movement after that!"  
  
"Fortunately I don't hold the belief I'll be attacked every second!"  
  
I stormed out the house.  
  
'Really! Acting as If I'll be attacked any moment... he cane make any person go starkers.' I thought to myself.  
  
I walked through the small village.  
  
It was feudal Japan, and Japan was split into regions, where appointed dukes governed each region. The region I lived in was appointed to a conceited old man and if possible, an even more conceited son.  
  
"Good thing they don't come down here often." I mumbled.  
  
After my escape from China, Japan had been warned to look for me, certain I had escaped into Japan.  
  
The reward for me was high, and I almost had the urge of turning myself in and asking for the money myself.  
  
As I walked I didn't notice a wall of soldier coming at me, or the sharp glances and whispers aimed at me to tell me to get out of the way.  
  
I ran into the first soldier.  
  
"Out of the way PEASANT." The soldier snarled.  
  
'Its Prince, my dear man, Prince.' I thought irritably, but held my tongue wisely and smiled dumbly, blurring myself into the crowd.  
  
It seemed a parade had come into the small village, and for what I wasn't sure of, until I hear whispers of rumors being exchanged by gossipy women.  
  
"Did you hear? The Duke's son found himself a wife. The beauty of Japan some call her. The man might have looks, but his personality is most rude. I wonder how long she can take him?" one said.  
  
"I heard she had a head on her shoulders alright. The last man that came to ask for her hand, walked away with a broken heart and a nice print on his face to remember it." Another said back.  
  
'A girl huh?' I thought amused. 'I wonder what she looks like.'  
  
My thoughts were answered.  
  
A royal carriage came.  
  
I saw a dainty hand open the curtains softly and a voice sang out beautifully, "Stop the carriage please."  
  
The coachman was surprised, but did as he was told.  
  
Stopping the horses, he got down and opened the door.  
  
A girl came out.  
  
She wore a peach colored, long-sleeved gown and snow-white slippers, which immediately stained as she stood in the dirt though it looked as if she didn't mind. Her hair was in curls and her emerald eyes captivated the village and everyone held their breath.  
  
The town felt dirty as they looked at the angel, which stood before them.  
  
"My! Look at this village!" she said in a soft alluring voice.  
  
Wei's voice came shouting at me in the back of my head.  
  
"Most DANGEROUS creature. Women! They trap you like a fox! Tricky creatures!"  
  
I snorted.  
  
She looked at me. And I only stared back.  
  
"Your highness... we must go meet your soon to be husband." An attendant reminded her tentatively.  
  
She tore her eyes away from me and returned to her carriage, which led to the castle, which rested on the high hill that overlooked the villages.  
  
I turned around to go back home to eat breakfast, when my face met the wizened ones of Wei's and sure enough, he said to me in a fierce voice,  
  
"Most DANGEROUS creature. Women! They trap you like a fox! Tricky creatures!"  
  
##### ##### #####  
  
"My! Look at this village!" I said softly.  
  
I was astounded by the poor conditions of it, and even more, the conditions of the villagers themselves.  
  
I heard a noise.  
  
I turned to look at a man who was staring at me, looking like he was laughing, but trying to hold it in.  
  
I stared at him equally and we stayed this way, until my attended suggested we continue.  
  
I took no more heed of the man as we entered the castle.  
  
"Your royal highness!"  
  
I saw a handsome man come running towards me.  
  
I assumed he was my to be husband and I smiled politely.  
  
"Prince –"  
  
'now this is wonderful, I've forgotten his name. It was something like Takena. Or was it subari? Sumumu?'  
  
I decided I would compensate.  
  
"Prince Takemumu."  
  
The prince's face froze.  
  
The maids and servants were in bouts of laughter... or course to themselves. Only hints of smiles gave away their true emotions.  
  
The Prince's face was red, with embarrassment, or fury, or perhaps both. I truly did not care, except this made me look bad, along with my province.  
  
"Its... Ryu." He said with some difficulty.  
  
"Yes... good good." I said.  
  
I guess this was the first time anyone had been slightly rude to him, and I suppose he deserved it.  
  
He seemed to get over it, for he was studying my face now, and seemed to like what he saw.  
  
I smiled as charmingly as I could.  
  
This marriage I was opposed to, but I didn't have much of a choice. So I better just charm him so he wont boss me around.  
  
He put one arm around my waist.  
  
Ordinarily I would have given him an even redder face than what he had on a moment ago, but I remembered my governor's voice.  
  
"Miss SAKURA, please! Patience! And stop picking your nails."  
  
I closed my eyes.  
  
Oh that wretched governor! She had made my few years of adolescent times unbearable! "Don't chitchat with the maids. Don't run! Wear your shoes! Stop eating with your hands. Come read this book. Come study that history. This is the right man to choose, not this one. And for god's sake, stop picking your nails!"  
  
I started trembling with rage and my eyes were closed and I was clenching me teeth.  
  
"Um... Princess Sakura?"  
  
My eyes popped open. "Yes?" I said smiling.  
  
Prince Ryu looked like he was going to melt.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Quite fine." I gritted my teeth.  
  
"Well... alright, let me show you to the chambers..." he said uncertainly as we climbed what must have been 200 steps of stairs.  
  
He led me to a door.  
  
"Close your eyes." He demanded.  
  
I felt a pinprick of irritation at the order, but the curse forbade me to not obey it.  
  
Ah yes... the curse.  
  
Let me explain. When I was born, lets say there was a complication. By some miraculous mean, the cord was wound around my neck, as well as the rest of my body, suffocating me to the fullest extent. My mother, having given birth to me on her own, was in despair. She cried to god, the angels, then chicken next to her (she gave birth to me in a barn. She was walking home from a bit of shopping.) to help save her child. Supposedly an angel heard, and came down. Well, not exactly an angel, it was a magician. She happened to be in the area, and heard my mother's cry. She quickly, with the wave of her hand, got rid of the cord, and my mother thanked her on hands and knees. Magicians during those days were rare, and my mother believed God had touched her and I. Until, of course, the magician didn't seem to enjoy my large bouts of cries, since I had been suffocating for a few minutes, she placed a temporary spell on me that gave me what she called a gift. The gift of obedience. An order given to me, was something I must obey. If it was something like "Sakura, make your bed." I must obey it. If you said it this way "Sakura, can you make your bed?" I could ignore it all I wanted.  
  
When I said the magician said "temporarily", that's all she meant to do. Until she tried to take it off, it wouldn't. The magician sheepishly went away, leaving me with the spell still on (I think its more of a curse than a spell) and forever having it the rest of my life.  
  
My mother protected me against the curse whenever she could. My father, though a good man, would have used the curse against me, so the secret was kept from him too. My brother was informed of it by my mother, and she insisted he must protect me whenever he could and of course he agreed.  
  
And now, I was being ordered by my soon to be husband. I could never tell him, or he would use it against me too. I was very aware of that.  
  
I felt myself automatically close my eyes at his demand.  
  
I felt his hands take mine as he lead me into the room.  
  
I could feel his excitement.  
  
"Ok... now, open them!"  
  
An order.  
  
I opened my eyes, and gasped.  
  
The room was beautiful.  
  
The walled were peach and pink colored all at once, and the bed was a soft satin. A candle chandelier fell from the ceiling, illuminating the room with a brilliance of yellow. The large balcony welcomed in the blue of the sky, and the soft carpets felt a little velvet mouse's fur to the touch.  
  
"Its... beautiful." I had to admit.  
  
His eyes showed a pleased, and a little arrogant look.  
  
"Well of course! I only get the best." He said a bit snobbishly.  
  
I was wary. I had heard of the prince as being conceited and downright arrogant. Possessive too. And that was what I was most afraid of.  
  
I was like the wind. I could only fly free.  
  
I looked out the balcony and saw a large cherry tree right next to it.  
  
I formulated a plan in my head, and grinned.  
  
"Prince Ryu." I cooed to him  
  
"Y-Yes!?" he said gulping, his arrogant manner disappeard.  
  
"I'm...not feeling quite myself. I'm tired from the trip." I hinted.  
  
"Oh... do you need a massage?" he said.  
  
"Um...no... I need some rest please." I said.  
  
'You need to spell it out to him.' I thought.  
  
"Oh, yes. Im sorry. You must be very tired. Well, if you need anything, ring for the maid. Good night for now." And he bent forward and kissed me on the forehead. "Rest well."  
  
I stood rooted there as he left the room with a faint blush on his cheeks.  
  
"Hmm...right." I mumbled.  
  
I locked the door.  
  
I strode over to the balcony and observed the cherry tree. It was about two feet away, and to my eyes, very climbable.  
  
I grabbed the nearest trunk and started descending down it.  
  
When I was almost near the ground though, my foot slipped.  
  
"Oh crap!"  
  
But I felt the wind rise against my falling body and I fell softly onto the grass.  
  
I looked around me and saw no one. But I had felt it. Someone had used magic to save me. But who?  
  
##### ##### #####  
  
I breathed out a sigh of relief.  
  
I had watched, ever since the princess had entered the vicinity of the castle. The girl made me part nervous. Something about her was bugging me. I had felt a slight aura around her, and I wanted to check it out.  
  
I saw her go to the balcony, with the prince beside her.  
  
I frowned.  
  
Then, they went back in, but then the princess grabbed the tree trunk near her and started hoisting herself down it, until she was two-thirds down the trunk, when she slipped.  
  
I quickly whispered spmething under my breath.  
  
The wind changed.  
  
I saw her float down softly and the expression on her face wasn't complete surprise, but more like a curiosity.  
  
Wei came up next to me, and stared.  
  
"This is not like you." He said simply.  
  
"I don't know what I am anymore." I answered while staring at the Princess, who was laughing and dancing on the beautiful front lawns now, and for a moment, was the center of the universe.  
  
######################################################################  
  
I know I know. Nothing juicy has come up yet. I assure you there will be though. =]  
  
I feel like im writing some kind of philosophical novel. Yehh. Hahaha  
  
Well, hope you enjoy. Ill write more later.  
  
=-= Miss Kit Taylor  
  
To my angel EH 


	2. the magicians

# For Her #  
  
whoo boy... sneaking out at night is the bomb diggity! hahahahaha. SO funny. Im a heavy sleeper, so I left my cell of vibrate and put it in my SHIRT. That way, I could feel it. so at 1 am in the morning, I feel this rumbling and im like holy shit. Hahahaha. Anyway, my friends pick me up, and we were going to TP someone, but then we didn't exactly know where she lived, so we ended up going to a friend's house since his parents weren't home. Came back at 6.  
  
Ok, I shut up now. =]  
  
= Sakura POV =  
  
I laughed and danced around the lawn. I could get out anytime I wanted! This new discovery excited me, since the wife was suppose to be dutiful to her husband, and I was surely committing some kind of sin.  
  
From the grassy lawns, I looked down at the village.  
  
It intrigued me.  
  
I began descending the hill and I entered the village.  
  
People stared at me as I walked around vendors.  
  
Obviously, royalty didn't come down and stroll around dirty streets and they looked at me as if I was insane.  
  
A burly man walked up to me, surely drunk he was.  
  
"Hey miss... get out of here. Your kind isn't welcome." He said thickly, while holding a jug of wine.  
  
"I will walk around as I please." I said defiantly.  
  
The man raised his hand drunkenly. "What did you say?!"  
  
I anticipated his move and was about to block myself as his fist came down when a strong muscled arm grabbed his fist before I could.  
  
I looked at the man.  
  
It was the same one that was laughing at me when I first arrived!  
  
"Are you going to degrade yourself so low that you would hit this woman?" he said huskily.  
  
Two men quickly came over and dragged the raging man away.  
  
They were obviously scared of that man.  
  
Quickly putting my hands down, which were going to block me, I looked at the man with interested eyes.  
  
He spoke in a dignified manner, yet he was dressed in peasant clothes, though they didn't seem as bad as some of the other were wearing. His eyes were piercingly amber and his messy hair was of a dark chocolaty color.  
  
His eyes turned to mine.  
  
"All right your highness?" he asked imploringly.  
  
"Ah... yes, thank you." I said stumbling over my words.  
  
'This man was quite good looking' I though admiringly.  
  
"Shall I escort you back to the castle?" he asked politely.  
  
I laughed.  
  
"Not after I just escaped from that wretched place!" I exclaimed, still chortling.  
  
I swore his mouth gave a slight twitch.  
  
"I wont be going back there. This place is far more interesting." I looked shyly at him, "Well... I don't know my way around here much... do you think you could show me around?"  
  
He stared at me.  
  
"You are... different,..." he mumbled so softly, I almost couldn't hear his words.  
  
And I was sure they weren't meant for my ears.  
  
"Did you say something?" I asked, pretending I had not heard.  
  
"Nothing at all your highness." He said looking at me.  
  
"Please... you can just call me Sakura." I said quickly. I did not like the sound of your highness.  
  
He looked a little startled.  
  
He then grinned.  
  
"You are not like most royalty do you know that miss Sakura?" he mused.  
  
"I know, because I don't want to be." I said seriously.  
  
He only looked and started walking away.  
  
"H-hey! Wait up!" I called, running to his side.  
  
#####  
  
We arrived at a small farm, which lay next to a house.  
  
"Is this your house?" I inquired.  
  
He nodded.  
  
I strode over to the chicken coop. Royalty weren't suppose to go into villages for visits. I had never seen a chicken coop.  
  
"Never?" the man said, a little surprised as I admitted I had never seen one before.  
  
"Never." I confirmed.  
  
I took the top roof off from the henhouse.  
  
I gave a little shout of surprise as a flurry of yellow chicks came rushing out.  
  
The little chicks gathered around my feet, trying to get warmth from me, all huddling together at my feet.  
  
My face must have showed complete amazement, for the man finally cracked a small grin.  
  
"Those are little chickens. They are cute at first, then they become only good for eating." He explained to me.  
  
"They are so cute!" I said laughing.  
  
The man's face was stoic, but I could see the glint in his eyes suggesting he was laughing slightly behind that stone face.  
  
"Your royal highness!"  
  
I whirled around to see Prince Ryu come striding over with a bit of anger in his face.  
  
"Oh..." I said, frowning a bit. I would have to go back to the castle and become a dainty lady again.  
  
Ryu came over and put his arms protectively around me.  
  
I squirmed in his arms but he didn't seem to notice.  
  
"How dare you kidnap her!" he roared.  
  
"Ryu!" I said while struggling to get out of his arms, "He didn't kidnap me!"  
  
"Did he threaten you to say that?" he said angrily, his eyes still on that man, "What's your name? Speak quickly!"  
  
He seemed unwilling to say it, but eyeing the soldiers that started to surround them, he said, "Yamamoto Yuki."  
  
"Well, Yamamoto, you can be sure I will keep an eye out on you!" and with that, he dragged me along, leaving Yuki to stand there gazing at our retreating backs.  
  
"Ryu!" I hissed," I told you! I was the one who climbed out of the castle! That man was not to blame!"  
  
"Don't worry Sakura." He said reassuringly, as we entered the castle yet again. He had not heard a word I had said. "I will make sure that man wont come near you again. He will be beheaded."  
  
I looked at him in horror and disgust.  
  
"If you dare hurt one hair on his head and you can be sure that I wont marry you!" I exclaimed at him.  
  
He finally looked at me.  
  
"W-what...? You're over reacting Sakura. That man kidnapped you! And you're defending him!"  
  
"Well, Mr. I-think-I-know-it-all, you haven't been listening to one word I said! If I said it wasn't his fault, it wasn't his fault! If you keep this up, I'll really hate you!"  
  
My words hit home.  
  
Ryu was stunned.  
  
I ran out the room to mine, and glowered there for the rest of the day.  
  
##### ##### #####  
  
There was a knock on my door.  
  
After I had yelled at Ryu, I had locked myself in my room and refused to come out.  
  
"Miss...it's me."  
  
I quickly ran to the door and unlocked it.  
  
It was Tomoyo.  
  
She was my attendant from my home. She had come with me all the way to this section of Japan, to continue to serve me.  
  
"What happened?" she asked worriedly. "What happened Miss Sakura?"  
  
I glanced at her and all I said was "And I never asked for his... name."  
  
##### ##### ##### ##### #####  
  
= Xiao Lang POV =  
  
I stared absentmindedly at the little chicks before me.  
  
It was a day after the incident with the princess and prince. The family of the princess was going to be there that day.  
  
The wedding was tomorrow.  
  
"It has nothing to do with me," I said to a little chick I picked up out of the group. "Nothing at all."  
  
"What has nothing to do with you?"  
  
I jumped literally two feet into the air.  
  
"Your... highness."  
  
"No. I already told you to call me Sakura." Sakura said laughing.  
  
"Alright... Miss Kinomoto." I couldn't do it. I couldn't call her Sakura. If I did, it meant I acknowledged something, and I sure as hell did not.  
  
She frowned a bit, but seemed to give up.  
  
"I'm getting married tomorrow." She suddenly said.  
  
"Yes... I know that." I said a bit coldly.  
  
She stared and started to say something, but seemed to think better of it, and remained silent.  
  
We both were there. I was squatting, with a little chick in my hand. And Miss Kinomoto was standing there staring at it.  
  
"May..." my head snapped up. "May... I know your name?" came the shy question.  
  
I looked at her in surprise.  
  
"Its Yuki. Yamamoto Yuki." I said "Didn't you hear me telling the prince?"  
  
"Yes, yes I did. But I didn't ask for a fake identity." She said smiling "I want to know your real name. What's your real name sir?"  
  
"It's...not for you to know." I said hesitantly. This girl was good.  
  
"But-"Sakura walked forward and slipped in a small mud puddle.  
  
"HOE!" she yelled in surprise and she pitched forward.  
  
I stood up and stretched my arms out.  
  
She fell against me and I felt something in my chest flutter for a second then disappear.  
  
I shrugged it off.  
  
"Are you ok Miss Kinomoto?" I said politely as I hoisted her up.  
  
"Uh...Oh... yes." She said her face flushed.  
  
I held onto her waist and her hands rested on my arms as she tried to focus her eyes.  
  
"Thank you." She said.  
  
But I was so entranced I did not let go.  
  
We stood there holding each other lightly while staring into each other's eyes.  
  
I bent forward and so did she.  
  
Our lips were a few centimeters away, when I heard a shout...  
  
"SAKURA?!?!?!"  
  
I promptly let go of Sakura, and she fell to the ground again with an "oomph"  
  
The man ran over to Sakura and helped her up.  
  
I back up a few steps.  
  
"What do you think you were doing to my little sister?!" the man demanded.  
  
'The royal family' I though as I saw a man and a beautiful woman walk up as well.  
  
"Touya!" Sakura hissed  
  
"He's so cute!" the beautiful woman said as she stared at me.  
  
"Uh... thank you your highness." was all I could say.  
  
"What's your name son?" the man asked, with kind crinkling eyes.  
  
Saying "Li Xiao Lang" threatened to come out, but Wei's reprimand to keep my true identity hidden surfaced.  
  
"Yamamoto Yuki your highness." I said, noticing Sakura's hopeful look disappear.  
  
"Daddy, Yuki's been showing me around the village and he's been very kind to me." Sakura said confidently.  
  
"Is that so?" he said with a twinkle in his eye, "Thank you Mr. Yamamoto, for showing my daughter around."  
  
"It was no problem." I said modestly, "Please, come in. I would be honored to have such guests in my house."  
  
"Of course we will!" Queen Nadeshiko (I learned later this was her name) said.  
  
I had Wei make tea and we all sat down and talked.  
  
The topic soon turned to China and Japan relations.  
  
"You know," the King said, "There is a sort of myth, a legend in China, about who the real King should have been."  
  
My heart skipped a beat.  
  
"Is that so?" I said as uncaringly as I could.  
  
I saw Wei's hands twitch slightly.  
  
"They say the prince was like a hunted boy. Many tried to assassinate them. Led by who the King of China is now, Kaia. One day, they had nearly succeeded, but the King protected his son, and died in his place. The assassins tried to kill the boy yet again, but he was smuggled out of Japan, and the Queen was brought into hiding, by the commoners, who were still loyal to their Queen and now only, prince. The four daughters of the Queen were also put into hiding elsewhere. They say this boy is in somewhere in Japan, ready to take back the throne soon." The King said, "Of course... it might just be a story made up."  
  
"Perhaps." I said vaguely.  
  
"Oh! Look at the time. We must get meeting the groom's family." Queen Nadeshiko said, not very happily.  
  
I tried not to laugh, and the Queen saw. She winked.  
  
"Why don't you come with us?" the King suggested.  
  
My mouth dropped open.  
  
"Absolutely not." Touya suddenly said. It was the first time he started talking since he had entered the house.  
  
"Touya!" Sakura said in a scolding manner, "how impolite!"  
  
"No," he said shaking his head, "you misunderstand. Slightly." He said the last word under his breath, which was only heard by Sakura and myself. She glared at him.  
  
"What would the Royal Family think if we brought a low-life peasant into the vicinity of the castle?" he said reasonably.  
  
I agreed, though I did not agree with the word choice of "low-life". Little did they know who I truly was.  
  
"No matter, come with us." The King said generously.  
  
My heart sped up. I never really had a father in my life. I felt love for the first time.  
  
##### ##### #####  
  
= Sakura POV =  
  
We were on the carriage, approaching the castle. My father had convinced Yuki to join us. He sat next to me, and I took a small peek at him.  
  
'Very intriguing." I thought. 'Something about him... makes me feel like I'm in the presence of something great.'  
  
I felt the carriage stop. We were there.  
  
Yuki climbed out and I was about to let myself out, when I saw Yuki's hand outstretched before me. He was offering his hand as support.  
  
"I can do it." I said determinedly. I wasn't weak; I could take care of myself.  
  
All his did was smile slightly and watched as I got myself off the carriage.  
  
We strode, side by side, and entered the castle  
  
#####  
  
The maids and servants bowed before us.  
  
We had entered the castle.  
  
I was still nervous. What if Prince Ryu exploded at Yuki again?  
  
For some reason, I didn't not think Yuki was that man's true name, but I would not press him to tell me, until he felt like doing so.  
  
"King Fujitaka, Queen Nadeshiko." The Prince stepped forward.  
  
"Prince Ryu." The King and Queen greeted together formally.  
  
"Sakura." He said happily as he turned to me but then his face turned colors as he saw the man beside me.  
  
"W-what... is a commoner doing in the castle!" he said looking outraged, "and this kidnapper at that!" his hands were balled into fists.  
  
King Fujitaka looked mildly surprised at the Prince.  
  
"Is there a problem?" he said with a slightly irritated voice, "this man was very kind to us when we arrived. I invited him in."  
  
Indeed the Prince was outraged.  
  
"This man tried to kidnap your daughter!" he said angrily, pointing accusingly at Yuki.  
  
"Shut your mouth." Touya said angrily. As much as he disliked Yuki, he disliked this man even more.  
  
Why the arguing continued, I felt something.  
  
My eyes scanned the room. Where was this source of magic I felt?!  
  
Then, it came full blast at me.  
  
"DUCK!!!" I yelled and surprisingly everyone listened.  
  
The roof exploded.  
  
Everyone was screaming.  
  
"So... you were here all along, Prince."  
  
There stood a cloaked man with gray smoky eyes. His face showed triumph at his discovery.  
  
I thought he was referring to Prince Ryu, but this man's eyes were on Yuki's.  
  
"Yuki?" I asked timidly.  
  
The cloaked man's eyes snapped to me.  
  
He grinned and said, "So... found yourself a woman eh?"  
  
"Mind your own business." Yuki said with a growl in his throat.  
  
"Kaia's magicians are coming... you are going to finally meet the doom you should have had years ago prince."  
  
"Not if I can help it!" Yuki cried and he ran, at me.  
  
I gasped. What was he doing?!  
  
He came and grabbed me around the waist, and hoisted me in his arms.  
  
"Yuki!" Touya's scared and mad voice came, "What the hell are you doing?!"  
  
Yuki, running with me in his arms, looked back not at my brother, but at my parents.  
  
I looked too, and saw understanding in my father's eyes, and fear in my mother's.  
  
And then I felt air. We had jumped out a window!  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" I yelled as we fell.  
  
Yuki stretched his legs out and they caught a tree branch.  
  
He jumped off the branch and ran, and ran, to the dock that faced China.  
  
"Yuki!" I gasped as we neared the shore.  
  
He stopped as we did and looked back.  
  
The cloaked figure magically appeared behind us and was laughing.  
  
"Did you really think you could escape?" he said tauntingly. "The magicians are here." And as he said this, five more people appeared behind him.  
  
I trembled and Yuki must have felt that because he gripped my tighter, reassuring me.  
  
The cloaked figures eyes looked at me.  
  
"Give the girl over." He said demandingly at Yuki.  
  
"No." he said and he took an ofuda out, saying some fast magic words that I couldn't quite catch and lightning came down on where the magicians were standing, except they weren't there anymore. They were pelting magic orbs at us.  
  
"NOO!" I yelled, a tear escaping my eyes.  
  
I felt a warm heat come from my neck.  
  
I looked down.  
  
My grandmother's necklace was glowing!  
  
Ever since I was little, grandma would take care of me. She was a wonderful woman, and before she died, she had given me her necklace, saying, "It might come in handy one day."  
  
The necklace glowered brighter, and suddenly, it consumed Yuki and I. I closed my eyes tightly, but not before seeing the disbelief on the magician's faces.  
  
It felt as if miles were being placed between the magicians and us.  
  
I opened my eyes, and saw Yuki doing the same.  
  
We were in the outskirts of a village, but there was something strange about the village.  
  
A woman walked up to us, and said "Ni men liang ge shi cong na li lai de?"  
  
HUH?!  
  
##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####  
  
whee.... That was boring. Hahahah. Well, ill make it better next chapter! =]  
  
my fingers hurt.  
  
Miss Kit Taylor  
  
To my angel EH 


	3. the curse

=For Her=  
  
disclaimerdon't own ccs. Blah blah. Same ole routine.  
  
mmhmm...I found... a /strong(famous Korean actor) REPLICA. Im dead serious. This guy is hot x 1000. hahahhaa. Too bad he has a girlfriend though. LoL. That was a bummer when I found out.  
  
Anyway, this story isn't very good is it? ='[ ah well. If I don't feel this chapter and perhaps the next is good, then ill discontinue it.  
  
Well, the year is almost over for me! Then ill be a senior next year! Wheeee! nn  
  
Lets start then shall we?  
  
#######################################################################  
  
=Xiao Lang POV=  
  
"Ni men liang ge shi cong na li lai de?" (Where did you two come from?)  
  
I saw Sakura sweat next to me. She didn't know Chinese.  
  
"Wo men cong...ri ben lai de.(we are both... from Japan)" I said hastily, hoping the woman wouldn't ask any further.  
  
The woman frowned and muttered in Chinese. "Is that so?"  
  
I pretended I had not heard. Instead, I studied the woman. Her dark brown hair was quite similar to mine. But her eyes were not of an amber color. It was a tad bit lighter.  
  
"So... what's your name?" she said suddenly in Japanese.  
  
I fell and so did Sakura.  
  
"You can speak Japanese?!" I said a little angrily. My Chinese had rusted up a bit in Japan and I had a bit of difficulty getting back into my native language.  
  
"Of course." She said irritably, "This is China after all."  
  
China...?  
  
I was back?! But how?!  
  
I felt eyes on me and saw Sakura green pools with my reflection upon them. Her face was sketched with fear.  
  
"I asked you for your name." The woman said again. I turned toward her.  
  
"Yamamoto Yuki." I said.  
  
"I...see." The woman said slowly.  
  
Then she smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry, I've been rude! Please, come into my humble home!" she gestured to a small brick house.  
  
I shrugged at Sakura, who was silent.  
  
"We have no place to stay... might as well." I said to her.  
  
She nodded tightly and followed me.  
  
I stopped and she crashed into my back.  
  
I could feel her hands clutching my shirt and I sighed.  
  
"What's wrong Miss. Kinomoto?" I asked softly, so that no one would hear.  
  
"Why am I here?" she asked, "I don't want to be here!"  
  
I sighed again.  
  
"If I left you there, the magicians would have taken you hostage or killed you to get to me." I explained," of course I had to take you along."  
  
I mentally slapped myself. I had practically told her who I was!  
  
"This place is filthy!" she said snobbishly, "Look at that man! He is dressed in rags!"  
  
I was relieved, she didn't seem to notice, but I was surprised too.  
  
Sakura struck me as someone who didn't mind the grueling lives of the peasants. My opinion of her was slowly changing.  
  
"Well... you didn't seem to think my place was filthy." I couldn't keep the coldness out of my voice, "and my clothes aren't any better than his."  
  
That was true. In order to keep my profile low, I had dressed poorly so I wouldn't attract any attention to myself.  
  
She didn't seem to be listening.  
  
"I hate this place! Bring me back to Japan at once! Or else... or else." She tried to grasp an answer.  
  
"Your highness." I said, trying to keep the anger, reverting to what I used to call her, "your being very selfish and if you have any idea how we are to get back to Japan, kindly inform me. If your going to be like this, then go."  
  
I followed the woman into her house, leaving Sakura in stunned silence behind me.  
  
##### ##### #####  
  
=Sakura POV=  
  
I was stunned.  
  
Yuki had just blown me off!  
  
I felt tears well up in my eyes. I had never been away from home this far. I didn't exactly mean what I had said. The place wasn't exactly filthy. But China was something feared in Japan. When the small children were naughty, the governors would say that if they didn't behave, China would come and behead them. Wars were constant between the two nations and China was a delicate topic for the Japanese.  
  
I was just upset so I said anything that came to my mind!  
  
Then I felt the magic work on me.  
  
Curse the spell! He had commanded me to go!  
  
My feet were urging me to move. I could feel a headache coming from attempting to disobey it.  
  
"Yu-"I tried to call for him, but my voice was weak, and he was already in the house.  
  
'Shit shit shit!' I mentally cursed, since my voice was not letting it go to the fullest potential.  
  
I was getting a migraine.  
  
I walked a few steps away from the brick house.  
  
The headache was lightening.  
  
I walked more, and more and more.  
  
I was entering the woods that surrounded the small village.  
  
I sighed.  
  
I had to obey or my head might just split open.  
  
As I walked on, I felt the eerie feeling that someone was watching me.  
  
As I turned on a path, a pair of strong hands put themselves on my mouth that prevented me to scream.  
  
I looked up and saw a pair of blue eyes and shocking brown hair.  
  
I felt myself float into unconsciousness....  
  
##### ##### #####  
  
=Xiao Lang POV=  
  
As I said those harsh words, I cursed at myself.  
  
How could I say that to her? She was the soon to be Queen!  
  
I walked towards the brick house and left Sakura outside.  
  
The woman had already started making tea and looked at my questionably.  
  
"The girl?" she asked.  
  
"She'll be in here shortly." I said uncomfortably. 'I think'  
  
she nodded.  
  
"Well, it seems you are familiar to China." She mused as she put a cup of strong Jasmine tea in front of me.  
  
"Yes... I've been here before." I said testily.  
  
"Oh have you?" she asked, "you seems quite familiar, though I cant place my finger on who you are."  
  
I felt my blood ran cold.  
  
Was she one of Kaia's men that is out to catch me?  
  
"Well... as I said, my name is Yamamoto Yuki. I'm from Japan, but I've been the China before." I said quickly, making up the information.  
  
She studied me.  
  
"From your appearance...I would say you were a peasant. How could you have come to China with little money?"  
  
"Ahh..." was all I could say.  
  
All the woman did was laugh.  
  
"Don't you even recognize me?" she said teasing, her eyes filled with...relief and happiness?  
  
"Fahren?" I whispered.  
  
"Li Xiao Lang." Fahren said laughing, tears coming down her cheeks.  
  
I felt like a little kid again as I embraced my oldest sister.  
  
"Why are you here?!" I said with a smile.  
  
"The elders." She said promptly, "They have foreseen. They saw the time is coming, and drawing near."  
  
"How had everything been?" I said hesitantly.  
  
Fahren's eyes clouded.  
  
"Not very good." She said softly, "After you left those many years ago, Kaia's men have been stationed everywhere, searching for you. He had practically all of China searched. Then he sent men to Japan, but of course Japan does not exactly like our country, lucky for us and you." She said with a small laugh, "they knew you were the awaited prince, and as much as they would have liked to see you destroyed, they would not want China to have Kaia have the satisfaction and destroying someone he hated very much. I think many years ago he had attacked Japan or something. That was many years ago."  
  
I nodded, everything was starting to make sense.  
  
"By the way," Fahren said frowning, looking out the window, "where is that girl that was with you?"  
  
##### ##### ##### ##### #####  
  
=Sakura POV= I awoke, and it took me a full minute before I remembered what happened when I was walking into the woods.  
  
"MMMMPPHHHH!!!" I attempted to scream.  
  
I was bound and gagged.  
  
Then I heard a noise from behind me.  
  
"Hello Miss. And what's your name?" said a man.  
  
It was the guy who kidnapped me!  
  
The only thing I could do was look and stare.  
  
"Oh yea, sorry." He bent over and undid the rag that prevented me from speaking as well as take the ropes off.  
  
"Im sorry miss, I tied you in case you escaped." He explained, "we cant have you escape and tell someone this location"  
  
once he untied me, I tried to run past him through the door, but he blocked my path.  
  
"What are you doing?!" I demanded, "Let me go at once!"  
  
The man only smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry, I can't do that miss. You are in secret headquarters now."  
  
Curiosity got the better of me. "Secret...?"  
  
"There is an uprising to get rid of our ruler, Kaia. Or King Kaia, as he likes to be referred to." The man said rolling his eyes, "but yea. My name is Takeo. Yours?"  
  
"I'm not giving my name to anyone who kidnaps me!" I exclaimed. Where was Yuki?!  
  
"You should be thanking me you know." He said with a smile, "if you wandered around there too long, some of Kaia's men would have surely found you. And then he would have probably made use of you. You don't know that? Are you from around here?"  
  
"Made use of me?" I said, ignoring his last statement with nervousness. What did he mean by that?  
  
All Takeo did was laugh.  
  
"Wow you really are innocent." He said laughing.  
  
Ignoring him, I answered his question.  
  
"I am Kinomoto Sakura." I said.  
  
"And the ice woman gives her name." Takeo said smiling.  
  
I couldn't help but smile back.  
  
"I was traveling with a man... Yamamoto Yuki. Do you happen to know him?" I asked hopefully.  
  
He shook his head and my heart dropped. I should have sounded so conceited back then!  
  
"Well, seems like your stuck with us. Kaia had taken the throne title many years ago. The true prince of China has been in hiding. We think he was in Japan, but we weren't sure. The time is soon to come when the prince is to take back his throne." Takeo said.  
  
A bell could be heard from coming outside.  
  
"Ahh... the meeting is about to start." He said cheerfully.  
  
"Come with me to the meeting." He said.  
  
An order.  
  
My feet moved by itself and I followed him like a devoted puppy. Pooh!  
  
Takeo walked to the corner of the room. He lifted a pot and swished the rug under it aside.  
  
I gasped.  
  
A door on the ground!  
  
Takeo opened it and grinned.  
  
"After you m'lady." He said.  
  
##### ##### ##### #####  
  
=Xiao Lang POV=  
  
"Where can that stupid girl be?!" I raged.  
  
Sakura was nowhere to be found!  
  
"What did you say to her back then?" Fahren said frowning.  
  
"I told her to go." I said hitting my head, "omg, did she take me literally?!"  
  
"Apparently so." Fahren said, "either way, you must find her! If you don't, Kaia's men will!"  
  
"Will do!" I yelled, as I entered the woods.  
  
"Wait!" Fahren yelled.  
  
She ran into her house and ran back out, carrying a piece of paper.  
  
"You must go to Beijing." She said handing me the slip of paper, "find a man named Sabishi. Give this to him. He will tell you what to do next. You are the only hope for this country. Kaia if not stopped, will destroy it."  
  
I nodded, taking the paper and ran into the woods.  
  
After around 5 minutes of hard running, I stopped.  
  
"Where... am I suppose to look for that stupid girl?!"  
  
##### ##### #####  
  
=Sakura POV=  
  
I entered the underground path with Takeo.  
  
Lanterns dimly lighted the tunnel.  
  
Takeo, was going on about the resistance against Kaia.  
  
"We call ourselves the Fandui. The opposers. It's made up of mostly the commoners and the people who believe that the real royal family will come back one day and take back the throne. Almost 10 years ago, the true rulers of China, Queen Yelan and King Xishen, and their 4 daughters and one son were driven from their throne. King Xishen was quite shocked. Kaia was his advisor and it never occurred to him that he would betray him.  
  
Anyway, after Kaia had the royal family removed, he attempted to assassinate each and every one of them. The only person assassinated, was the King. The royal family was loved by their people. They were kind and generous people, while at the same time, strict. There is a prophecy and legend that the prince, the last hope of China, will come back and take the throne back from Kaia." Taeko finished.  
  
"Really?" I asked excitingly, "What is the princes name?"  
  
"Li Xiao Lang." Replied Taeko, "They say that it is nearly time. It is time to resist and oppose, ah, here we are."  
  
I looked up and saw a brightly lighted room.  
  
"Stay close to me." He said. Another order. "These people are pretty paranoid."  
  
I smooshed myself against him, much to my dismay, and I didn't know, but much to his delight.  
  
As we walked in the room together, I felt eyes on me.  
  
I ignored the stares and saw a table in the front of the cave like room.  
  
Around the table sat middle aged to old wizened men. An air of importance surrounded them and I felt I was in the presence of something great.  
  
"The elders." Takeo whispered next to me, "the ones that had taken charge of the Fandui. They will give that title to Li Xiao Lang once he appears in China again."  
  
I felt the spell wear off. One good thing about the curse was that its came off at different periods of time. This was exceptionally short. Some could go on forever.  
  
I walked a little away, trying to get a better view of the elders, when I bumped into a man around my age.  
  
"Im sorry...!!"  
  
I looked at the man again.  
  
"Yuki?!"  
  
########################################################################  
  
hm...wow, not that great either, but action starts soon! =]  
  
hmm...scariness. This guy like 2 years younger has fallen for me... brrr. Really freaky. So im pretending to have a bf, so he'll leave me alone. Lmao!  
  
Anyway, ill update the other stories as soon as I can! Im pretty busy, and yea, this one was cuz I was bored and felt like procrastinating. =]  
  
Miss Kit Taylor  
  
To my angel EH  
  
Top of Form  
Bottom of Form 


End file.
